Angelina Jolie says her kids are encouraging her to travel, act, and get out into the world again after divorce

Angelina Jolie says she feels like herself again. The actress credits her children for helping her find that strength after a hard few years.

Jolie opened up about this shift during a joint conversation with director Alice Winocour. The two were discussing their new film, ‘Couture’.

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A role written for her

In ‘Couture’, Jolie plays Maxine, a low-budget horror director. Maxine juggles a job for a French fashion house, a difficult divorce, and single parenthood. Then she gets a breast cancer diagnosis.

Winocour wrote the part with Jolie in mind. She wanted someone with a real connection to the story. She also wanted Jolie’s raw energy on screen.

Winocour described that energy as a kind of punk spirit. She said it was exactly what the film needed.

Calling herself punk

Jolie was asked if she sees herself as punk. She said she feels more punk now than before.

She explained that the label fits in an unexpected way. For her, staying private and doing less can be a form of resistance. She said this is true especially when so much in the world feels loud and overwhelming.

Jolie then turned to her personal life. She referenced her divorce from Brad Pitt without going into detail.

She said her fighting spirit had disappeared for a while. She felt knocked down. Now she feels it returning.

She gave credit to her children. She said they are older now and pushing her forward.

Kids want her out in the world

Jolie said most of her children are close to 18 now. She said they want to see her travel. They want her to get out and live fully again.

She added that her kids know her better than anyone. She said the fact that they still like her says a lot about their relationship.

She believes her children are encouraging her to return to parts of herself. These are sides of her she had not felt free to express in some time.

Stepping back from acting

Jolie also spoke about her career path before the divorce. She said she had basically quit acting at that point.

She wanted to focus on directing. She also planned to take on more international work.

But her plans changed after the split. She needed a way to stay home more. She also needed steady income. Acting became the practical answer.

She said she only accepted roles that were short. She looked for projects close to home. She also looked for jobs where she could bring her children along.

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